International Women's Day 2010

Have your say on Reuters about what women's day means to you

The problem is that many industries don't understand what woman want. They don't have female-centric strategies and they don't know how to speak to woman. This really is an issue of more effectively segmenting the market. The problem is I think that it is almost seen as politically incorrect to do this. Personally I see it as tailoring what we do more effectively for woman customers

by Moira Clark3/8/2010 9:15:12 AM

Hi Moira here I'm afraid I have to go now, got to catch a flight to Copenhagen and fly the flag for IWD! I will be persuading the delegates that IWD is not just a feminine issue but that companies need to wake up to the power of the female consumer and embrace it in a way which is appropriate for their female cusotmers

by Moira Clark3/8/2010 9:23:06 AM

Chris Parke of Talking Talent wrote this piece for the Reuters Great Debate blog blogs.reuters.com

by women_on_iwd3/8/2010 9:24:17 AM

@Chris Parke What about having an event where each women invites a male colleague to attend with simply having mixed audience events where the inspirational speakers just happen to be women. That way, the male delegates may be less likely to be put off because they don't think they are attending a "wimmin's" event.

by women_on_iwd3/8/2010 9:33:09 AM

Hi everyone- Happy International Women's Day from the women's rights division of Human Rights Watch. The women in our division, who work in Mumbai, New York, Beirut, Brussels, London and Nairobi, will have many stories, opinions and news to share today. I will share them here throughout the day. To start you can register for our new newsletter Women in the World at www.hrw.org

by Gauri van Gulik3/8/2010 9:47:48 AM

We're back! Sorry folks we had to travel to a new tweeting ground.

by women_on_iwd3/8/2010 10:35:54 AM

Its interesting that a couple of posters have mentioned being presented with flowers for international women's day. I'm not sure that would go down very well in Canary Wharf. Is it heart warming to be given flowers by your employer on international women's day? Or insulting?

by women_on_iwd3/8/2010 10:37:43 AM

@Gauri van Gulik Hi and welcome to the IWD live blog. Your colleagues around the world are welcome to drop by too.

by women_on_iwd3/8/2010 10:40:07 AM

Hi all, from Oxford, and welcome to IWD and another celebration of women and the great contribution we all make to every facet of public and private life. As we reflect on the news this morning (here in the UK) that a woman has received the oscar for best director for the first time, we realise how far we have come but also how far we need to go. Sharon and Moira's comments are well made, and I would like to add to the blog I wrote for todays event and ask that we start to look at processes that look neutral and objective in a much more searching way than perhaps we have done up to now. How can it be that we have had to wait till the 21st century for a woman's contribution film making to be recognised? How is it that we are still in a situation where it will take 200 years for women to be equally represented in the British Parliament and the list goes on. There has to be something going on which means that women's merit is simply not being seen as 'merit', why this is the case and what we can do about it, these are the questions which are challenging me at the moment, and I hope they will be questions that we all begin reflecting on today of all days.

by Savita Kumra3/8/2010 10:47:43 AM

It's an interesting point Moira - Why is it that industries don't understand what women want? Is it that they lack the right staff in their sales and marketing teams - do these functions reflect the makeup of markets that they are selling to?

by Chris Parke3/8/2010 10:48:30 AM

Gauri van Gulik wrote this blog for Reuters on female asylum seekers blogs.reuters.com

Hi all and good morning from London. The UN Women’s Empowerment Principles are going to be launched tomorrow. The event is already fully booked but take a look at these principles once they are released tomorrow. I will be joining via video link for a panel on why gender diversity makes business sense www.unglobalcompact.org

by women_on_iwd3/8/2010 11:00:23 AM

by women_on_iwd3/8/2010 11:02:18 AM

The International Trade Centre is holding an event entitled SOURCING FROM WOMEN-OWNED ENTERPRISES tonight in Geneva. tiny.cc

The picture just below is of U.S. first lady Michelle Obama as she speaks to hundreds of school nutrition professionals to advocate for adequate funds for healthy school meals, at the School Nutrition Association annual legislative action conference in Washington, March 1, 2010. REUTERS/Jason Reed

by women_on_iwd3/8/2010 11:03:33 AM

What do you think of Michelle Obama - is she a good role model for women?

by women_on_iwd3/8/2010 11:04:26 AM

Michelle Obama is a very powerful role model and I am sure she inspires many. We need more role models like her.

Do people suffer from Gender Fatigue? Gender fatigue is the phenomenon that people lose the energy and will to talk about gender discrimination in the workplace. In my research I have shown that people go through great length to construct their workplace as non-discriminatory despite the fact that gender inequality is still observed. Does IWD help to combat Gender Fatigue? www.reuters.com

by women_on_iwd3/8/2010 11:11:38 AM

Looking forward to blogging some thoughts today from my industry and further afield

by MelissaCole3/8/2010 11:13:21 AM

@MelissaCole We are looking forward to your views

by women_on_iwd3/8/2010 11:19:47 AM

Will UK companies have to report on women's progress in the boardroom? tiny.cc

India is home to the largest number of the transgender in the world. Due to their unique identity this community has been at high risk of sexual, physical and emotional abuse. This Intnl Women’s Day, ActionAid has decided to put the focus on celebration of a unique identity with 'I Celebrate Me' - a photo-exhibition at India International Centre, Lodhi Rd, New Delhi. The exhibition will be on till 12 March. Preview: www.actionaidindia.org

by Susan Thomas3/8/2010 11:34:20 AM

From my Human Rights Watch colleague in Beirut on women's rights in Iran. "On International Women’s Rights Day, Iranian Activists to Open Campaign for Equality". See the full press release here: www.hrw.org

by Gauri van Gulik3/8/2010 11:35:58 AM

International Women’s Day in a post-gender world by Elisabeth Kelan blogs.reuters.com

by women_on_iwd3/8/2010 11:41:19 AM

@Women_on_IWD Would be interesting to see if Sarah Brown develops into a role model for other women too

by EKelan3/8/2010 11:41:55 AM

Developing women as leaders is central to overcoming the scarcity of women in senior positions. Research has shown that organizations do not develop women strategically by sending them on overseas assignments, executive education or by giving them business critical projects to raise their profile. There is a disconnection between what leaders have to do and how women are developed in organizations. Are organizations simply not doing the right things?www.london.edu

by EKelan3/8/2010 11:42:56 AM

The incredible diversity of women's rights topics strikes us every day. From the accute struggle for rights in Iran, to the important day-to-day problems that are making life more difficult for women in Europe and the US. For example maternity leave. Our deputy director Janet Walsch wrote this excellent piece: "10 things you should know about paid parental leave", including the astonishing fact that at least 177 countries have laws guaranteeing paid parental leave. Only a few, including the United States, Papua New Guinea, and Swaziland, do not. . www.bilerico.com

by Gauri van Gulik3/8/2010 11:48:05 AM

@ Gauri_van_Gulik Great Piece! Thanks for sharing it.

by EKelan3/8/2010 11:50:39 AM

A wonderful event at London Business School on Friday - the Women in Business - brought over 200 young women together - with more seasoned business womens. I talked about the future of work and how women in particular are likely to be in a good position to at last break through - I'll be posting my blog later on this - www.lyndagrattonfutureofwork. For me the most important changes will come when young men decide they want to take more part in the 'human' side of life - particulary caring for children and the aged. Our research at LBS shows that this is a real an important trend.

by Lynda Gratton3/8/2010 11:51:12 AM

A new piece of research shows that Men outnumber women 2 to 1 on British TV. Not surprisingly younger women are featured more often than older women. www.digitalspy.co.uk

I am off teaching CSR now but maybe be able to join again later on. Enjoy IWD.

by EKelan3/8/2010 12:01:06 PM

@Women_on_IWD Thank you...floor five has baton now...

by women_on_iwd3/8/2010 12:05:42 PM

Check out interesting event in Nairobi, 'When I Dare to be Powerful', by Zawadi Nyong'o. This book is a collection of stories of women engaged in sex work in East Africa. 2 of the 5 women who were daring enough to share their life stories will read excerpts from the book. www.facebook.com!/event.php?eid=326867871828&ref=mf

by IndianMaasai edited by women_on_iwd3/8/2010 12:13:48 PM

This Intnl Women’s Day, ActionAid India invites you to witness an extraordinary photo-story of women from coastal communities who rose from the aftermath of tsunami and are leading a new life today. Daughters of Tsunami - a photo exhibition at British Council, Chennai, India. Exhibition is open 6th - 12th March. Check out the preview of ...the exhibition: www.actionaidindia.org

BARCELONA Spain mounted a sweeping anti-terror operation on Friday after a suspected Islamist militant drove a van into crowds in Barcelona, killing 13 people before fleeing, in what police suspect was one of multiple planned attacks. | Video

Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest international multimedia news provider reaching more than one billion people every day. Reuters provides trusted business, financial, national, and international news to professionals via Thomson Reuters desktops, the world's media organizations, and directly to consumers at Reuters.com and via Reuters TV. Learn more about Thomson Reuters products: